Jean-Jacques Olier

Jean-Jacques Olier de Verneuil was born on September 20th 1608 and died the April 2nd 1657 in Paris. It was a priest French of the diocese of Paris.

It created the first Séminaire French, following the Concile of Thirty, founded the Compagnie of the priests of Saint-Sulpice. Its community took part in the rise of the missions in the campaigns of France, in the development of the seminars in France and the evangelization of the Canada.

Biography

Youth

Born in Paris, his/her father becomes administrator of justice in Lyon, which involves the installation of the family in this city. He makes a good traditional schooling among Jesuits (1617-25); It is there that it meets holy François de Sales which encourages it to become priest.

Of return to Paris, He studies philosophy with the college of Harcourt, theology scholastic and patristics in Sorbonne. In parallel he preaches, under the terms of a Bénéfice that his/her father had gotten to him, adopting the ambitious and pompeux style moment; he also attended the elegant company, becoming a “clerk society man”.

Conversion

In 1629, it essuie remonstrances of a woman who reproaches him her vanity and her lightness. Having a perfect command of Latin and the Greek, it leaves to Rome in order to learn Hebrew: that will enable him to create reputation while defending of the theses in Sorbonne in this language. it falls ill and lack to lose the sight. it goes in pilgrimage in Lorette, where it does not obtain only its cure, but also a complete God conversion. After this meeting with “personal God”, it plans to become Carthusian monk, and visits monasteries in Italy of the South;

To died of his father (1631), it returns to Paris. Refusing a chaplaincy at the court, which opened the road of the honors to him, it starts to bring together beggars and the poor in his house for the catéchiser. Having met holy Vincent of Paul, it helps his community, in its missions in Paris and the provinces. It endeavors to improve its formation while returning to essence: Its retirement of ordination is préché by saint Vincent of Paul. It is ordered priest for the diocese of Paris on May 21st, 1633. It takes part in the work of “Mister de Paul”, refusing any ecclesiastical promotion - which was guaranteed to him - and is implied in the “rural missions”, initially in Auvergne (or it held the benefit of the abbey of Pébrac), then close to Nantes and Amiens.

The work of the seminars

In 1635, it meets the Father Charles de Condren, superior of the Oratoire of France. He asks him to become his spiritual director. He enters in deep physical and spiritual depression in 1639, which will only go worsening until the death of the Father of Condren. It is for him a salutary shock, which enables him to leave the dead end. He decides to imply himself in the training of the priests: he knows experiment which the priest must be not only erudite but also, and especially, to be a man of prayer - the purpose of the missions in which the P. of Condren had employed it were to engrave in its spirit the religious needs for the country. It settles in Vaugirard in September, with two other priests, creates a parochial life centered on the spiritual life. In December 1641, it opens a house of formation, which will accommodate many young people.

It is named cleaned parish Saint-Sulpice, load which it accepts in spite of the opposition of his family which saw for him a more glorious destiny. Priest, it is given to his parish, while holding his house of clerical formation which rather quickly becomes an example for the diocese of Paris. The bishop asks him to ensure the training of all the applicants the priesthood of the diocese, and grants large buildings near its church to him. The seminar saint-Sulpice is born. It organizes in same time the community of the “priest of the clergy”.

Several dioceses then call upon him to organize seminars on the model sulpician: he sends members of his Compagnie of the priests of Saint-Sulpice in the dioceses of Nantes, Viviers, Saint-Flour, Puy and Clermont.

Canadian missions

Of temperament missionary, having had itself the occasion to work for the rural missions, Mr Olier will not on any more the occasion to traverse the world. Its meeting with Jerome Royer of Dauversière, in 1639 opened the horizons of New France to him. With this last and the baron Pierre de Fancamp, it takes part in the foundation of the “Company of Notre-Dame of Montreal for the conversion of the savages of News-France”.

In 1652, following a serious disease, from which there goes back but remains tired, he resigns of his load of priest of the Saint-Sulpice parish, while keeping the direction of the seminar. It is among the young priests that it will choose the volunteers for the mission montréalaise. It forms them and it is with its death that its missionaries will join Canada.

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